An active brain in old age can beat Alzheimer’s

30 June, 2007:

Indulging in mentally stimulating activities such as playing chess, reading a newspaper, or attending a play in old age helps reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

The results of a new study support a number of previous studies that have shown that staying mentally active reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and the mild impairments that precede the condition.

As a part of the Rush Memory and Aging Project in Chicago, the United States, over 700 elderly persons – who were an average of 80 years old – underwent yearly testing to detect any mental declines. The subjects were tested for up to 5 years and provided information on any current and past problems with their memory or thought processes.

They were also asked about their activities, such as visiting a library or museum, reading newspapers, books or magazines, attending concerts, plays or musicals, and writing letters.

In all, 90 of the study subjects developed Alzheimer’s disease, and 102 participants died. Researchers performed a brain autopsy on the 102 participants who died.

The study, published in the June 27, 2007 issue of the medical journal Neurology, reports that that the frequent participation in activities that involve mental processes was associated with a 50% reduction in the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease.

The study team found that a mentally inactive old person was 2.6 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than one who was mentally active. And, this relationship remained after controlling for past mental issues, lifespan socioeconomic status, current social and physical activity, and also low mental function at the beginning of the trial.

Frequent mental activities also protected against mild impairments.

The study found that frequent mental stimulation was associated with a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment – a transitional stage between normal ageing and dementia – and less rapid decline in cognitive function.

The researchers said their findings may help in the development of strategies to prevent or delay Alzheimer’s disease.